Local Delivery/Pick up orders with no tracking number effecting star seller status

[BurgessBabyandCo]

I had a customer who lived 2 streets away from me and I delivered the package myself, saving time and money. I did not put a tracking number as there wasn't an option to put delivered by me when I tried to put something other than a number into the tracking slot it wouldn't let me. It has now affected my star seller rating (which is shouldn't because it was the quickest delivery my shop has ever done). What should I do next time? How does everyone complete an order for local pick up or delivery?

[TBQSC]

What if I offer local pick-up or delivery for my items?

At this time, orders that don't have tracking because they are delivered or picked up in person will be considered shipped without tracking, and will not meet the Star Seller criteria for shipping. 

More Info Here @ How To Become a Star Seller 

[CarolineCo]

I can help you! I had several local orders in December and could not close them and did not have time to contact Etsy Support.

I later found out how difficult it was to contact Etsy support. I googled it and someone called me immediately and was very helpful.

This is how to close out an order without tracking:

Go to orders and Shipping

Click on the "update progress" icon

Then click on "complete order"

Under the box for a tracking number, click on "This order doesn't have tracking"

You will see another drop down box, now choose "local pickup or delivery"

The order will now be closed

i hope this helps! By the time I figured it out, my local pick ups were all considered late even though they had been picked up. i lost my Star Seller badge for January but I survived! 

[CappuccinoLace]

@CarolineCo  This option only exists for US sellers, as part of Streamlined Shipping for US.

It doesn't exist for the OP in Australia

[Marmalady]

And even for US sellers, this has no effect on Star Seller metrics -- you still get dinged for not sending with tracking

[ArtDollsbyJD]

It should exist as sellers in other countries can do shipping without tracking.  

But as said also it's a ding on star seller no matter what.

[DawnRayDesigns]

I have done this for all my local pick up orders but it still affects your star seller rating and the orders still show as "no tracking info".  

[MichelleDiniFineArt]

Thank you so much! It worked just as your explained it. 

[Marmalady]

There is no ways around not having tracking for delivery in person.

Sellers have to choose between good customer service with local drop off in person and earning a (currently useless) Star by shipping with tracking.

[StitchRoundabout]

I've read so many posts about the skewed ways in which you lose the Star Seller status that, as a seller, I don't strive for it (and I'm always looking for ways to improve), and as a buyer, I don't give it much credence either because if it's that skewed, how can you regard sellers without it as not being as good?

[PRINT3DD]

this is done on purpose. it is used bye these globalist's corporations to "screw" small sellers and promote big business this is agenda 2030 the UN sdgs. and Etsy is a large player in it . So is amazon. This is not any accident.  

[TBQSC]

The tracking trick for local deliveries / pickups, etc. ... ship the buyer an order receipt or packing slip with an Etsy FCM Letter label (53-cents), which generates a tracking number that is good enough to count towards SS.  Just understand that the tracking # is NOT a USPS #, but a Pitney Bowes #, but again doing it this way DOES qualify for tracking and you can successfully complete your SS metrics for local pickup / deliveries

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Problem right now is the delivery confirmation for that is not working.  It seems haphazard.  It is not just having the number that counts but it must show in transit.

This won't work for the OP as they are in Australia.

[TickleYourWitch]

Sadly that only works in the US. 

[BurgessBabyandCo]

Thanks everyone for your replies, you have all been really helpful! Appreciate it a lot! So basically I will just have to post it even if they live a street away from me (for the star seller rating) or choose fast, good customer service by delivering it within a couple of hours and it will hurt my star seller rating. The perfectionist in me doesn't want to lose the rating! But I want my customers thinking wow that was so quick so I choose the latter.

[StitchRoundabout]

I'm a perfectionist too so was very interested in the star seller feature initially.  What's really at stake though is customer feedback because that speaks volumes to buyers reading your reviews, and the faster you deliver, the more reviews and comments you'll get about fast shipping.

[KimFisher]

So apparently this is another ridiculous way to lose your star seller status.  I had the same situation, the customer is somebody local who has bought from me before and now lives just a mile away.  So I did the right thing for the customer and delivered the order.  And now etsy gets to slap my hand for doing so.  I got dinged the previous month because even though my sales amount was more than double the requirement my number of sales was one less than required.  that should be an either or thing, not both. Anyone else feel like a guinea pig being used for etsy to work out the stupid kinks they should have known about beforehand and fixed by now?  Some of these issues etsy has known about since the program launched.  I am soooooooo over this whole program.  It was badly executed and shamefully maintained.

[BirdhouseStudios222]

This has happened to me a few times.  I forget which option I choose exactly - I think it says "other" or something like that.  When it asks for tracking, I just put 123456789 and it accepts it.

[BagmakerSupply]

@BirdhouseStudios222: "When it asks for tracking, I just put 123456789 and it accepts it." An unsupported shipping company or invalid / unverified tracking number still equals shipped without tracking for Star Seller.

As an aside, you need to include the licensing information for all of the trademarked and copyrighted names and images in your shop in your listing - such as the Barbi, etc keychains - otherwise buyers (and Etsy) may conclude they are counterfeits. And a buyer could file a not as described case against you and both get their money back and keep the item. Including the licensing information will show that you are not selling those items illegally and people in the forum will be to help you.

We are not supposed to help shops that are breaking the law or Etsy rules.

[TBQSC · Accepted solution]

@BirdhouseStudios222 "When it asks for tracking, I just put 123456789 and it accepts it."

It may be accepted, but putting in random numbers for a tracking # will actually count against your SS and it will not protect you against cases brought against your shop.  The whole point of entering a VALID tracking # is to show proof the order was actually shipped to the customer & is making progress through the shipping facilities.  Without this proof, your customers can file a case for "item not received" and Etsy will always decide in their favor and issue a full refund from your account and the buyer gets to keep the product!  Win-win for your customers -- lose-lose for you.  You can still do local deliveries, but for it to actually count for SS, you have to ship the buyer something (a thank you note or invoice or packing slip) via Etsy label that actually generates a valid tracking # ... the 53-cents it costs to do so WILL save your SS!

[EarthLivingNYC]

Sorry, Im totally new to Etsy so I'm not completely following.  I just made two pick up orders. Exactly how do I print the labels without being charged the full price for shipping?  You mentioned that its $0.53 to ship the invoice...Thanks in advance!

[ElliotFanDesign]

wow, that is F'd up

[BagmakerSupply]

@BirdhouseStudios222: An order with a tracking number that never shows scanning activity will eventually be considered as shipped with no tracking.

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello @EarthLivingNYC,

Please know that purchasing a shipping label on Etsy is only optional. We also know that it’s not always possible to offer tracking, so this change won’t apply to certain types of items. You have the option to choose “This order doesn’t have tracking” below the tracking field when marking the order complete, and add a quick explanation for why you can’t add tracking for an order. 

However, please know that adding tracking to your physical orders is one of the criteria for the Star Seller badge. Marking your order complete without adding tracking will not count as a tracked order towards Star Seller eligibility. You can visit this Help Article for more information.

On the other hand, we recommend using the Forums' Search function prior to posting (just be careful to not bump an old thread that hasn't seen any activity in the last months/years), as questions regarding the Star Seller Program have been extensively covered by our fellow members since its launch, as well as our official Star Seller Guide, which contains in-depth answers to some of the more common questions regarding Message Response Rate, Shipping, Local Pick-Up, Digital Orders, and other topics. You can check it out here: etsy.com/starseller.

Having said that, and since this thread does not pertain to a technical issue, it will be closed to prevent it from going off-topic.
 

Thank you very much!

[ModAngie · Accepted solution]

Hello!

Before posting on the Forums, please check if you are not bumping an old thread that hasn't seen any activity in a while. You can do this by looking at the dates of the most recent replies.

Since this thread is indeed a bit older and the information contained here may be outdated, it will now be closed.

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